Question

What affects the level at which a ship floats in the water?

Answer 1

The level at which a ship floats in the water is affected by

• the weight of the ship and
• the weight of the water displaced by the portion of the hull that is below the water level.

Explanation:

Any ship you see at rest on the water:

If its weight is `W`, the weight of the water that was pushed aside as the ship settled (to a stable amount of draft) is also `W`.

It is a balance between the weight of the ship being pulled down by gravity and the water's attempt to regain its rightful location.

I hope this helps,
Steve